TMDCs combine atomic-scale thickness with unique electrical, optical and mechanical properties thus making it a potential material of choice to be used in optoelectronic, electronic, energy storage, spintronic, sensing and even in DNA sequencing applications. Considering these wide range of capabilities, the new BM NOVO was developed to enable customers to solve critical TMDCs deposition challenges and at the same time to provide the reliability required to develop cutting edge applications.

Prof. Andras Kis, one of the globally leading experts for 2D materials research, comments: “AIXTRON’s new BM NOVO system will provide the flexibility and reliability that are required to advance our research which focuses on the investigation of electrical properties, fundamental physics and practical applications of 2D materials such as TMDCs.”

Prof. Aleksandra Radenovic who leads the research on 2D materials for biophysics at EPFL, says: “We are looking forward to the cooperation with AIXTRON as the company’s innovative new platform will support our research in the field of single molecule biophysics which includes the further development of techniques and methodologies based on optical imaging, biosensing and single molecule manipulation.”

AIXTRON is a leading manufacturer of systems for the deposition of complex materials. The versatile BM product line has a proven track record in the R&D market offering customers the innovative nanomaterial deposition technology combined with unparalleled reproducibility, process control and uniformity to drive application development.

]]>news-2791Tue, 19 Sep 2017 11:01:41 +0200glō orders G5+ MOCVD system for micro-LED productionhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/gloo-bestellt-g5-mocvd-anlage-fuer-micro-led-produktion/
AIX G5+ recognized as the tool of record for micro-LED applicationsAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, announced today that it has received an order for an AIX G5+ platform from Swedish-American company glō-USA, Inc. The group focuses on the commercialization of micro-LED (mLED) products based on their proprietary defect-free GaN nanowires technology. Such 3D structures enable the growth of mLEDs while maintaining the reliability of an inorganic material system. AIXTRON’s AIX G5+ Planetary Reactor® system was selected in the scope of glō’s strategic expansion and will be delivered with an 8x150 mm configuration in the course of Q4/2017.

Micro-LED technology is on the roadmap of all tier one display manufacturers as a challenger to the existing display technology for next gen consumer products. Micro-LED displays consist of micron-sized LED arrays forming individual sub-pixel elements. Compared to the existing LCD and OLED technologies, mLED displays offer lowest power consumption while exhibiting superior pixel density, contrast ratio and brightness and therefore, opening new horizons for consumer mobile products as well as premium TV displays.

Fariba Danesh, CEO of glō, comments: “Based on more than 10 years of experience and know-how in the area of nanotechnology, we have developed a game-changing three color micro-LED display technology. Our three color pixels are made solely with GaN semiconductor material. We are now focused on taking this exciting technology to a volume production stage. Beyond the epitaxial structure, the manufacturing of mLEDs require scalable processes, very tight uniformity and particle control of the epitaxial wafers to enable the highest yield and therewith cost-efficient transfer to our mLED partners. AIXTRON’s AIX G5+ MOCVD system provides all these requirements while maintaining low fab economics due to a batch reactor configuration. Therefore, we look forward to a close collaboration with AIXTRON on these promising applications.”

“We are proud of the trust given by glō and are confident our technology will support their needs in the best way possible. Our AIX G5+ is being recognized as the tool of record for mLED related applications as it is the sole technology on the market providing on-wafer uniformity control, low particle levels, and unique advanced features such as wafer-level temperature control with Auto-Feed Forward (AFF) and therefore supporting the demanding micro LED requirements.”, says Dr. Bernd Schulte, President of AIXTRON SE.

]]>news-2789Thu, 14 Sep 2017 09:19:52 +0200IQE extends production of 6-inch VCSEL with multiple AIX 2800G4-TM systems from AIXTRONhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/iqe-erweitert-produktion-von-6-zoll-wafern-fuer-vcsel-mit-mehreren-aix-2800g4-tm-anlagen-von-aixtron/
Tools will be installed in recently announced South Wales production facilityAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, received a multiple MOCVD system order from IQE plc (UK), the leading global supplier of advanced wafer products and wafer services to the semiconductor industry. The AIX 2800G4-TM automated Planetary reactors® expected to be deployed for the growth of gallium arsenide-based (GaAs) epi-wafers on 6-inch substrates for the production of VCSEL (vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser) for a range of photonic applications.

All systems are equipped with an 8x6-inch configuration and will complement the existing AIX 2800G4-TM tools already in production at IQE to meet the rapidly increasing market demand for VCSEL devices. AIXTRON’s local support team will commission the new reactors until the first quarter 2018 in a new state-of-the-art production facility recently leased as part of the Cardiff Capital Region programs which have a goal of supporting the development of the Compound Semiconductor Cluster “CS connected” in South Wales.

Dr. Howard Williams, Chief Operating Officer at IQE, says: “We chose the AIX 2800G4-TM for our capacity expansion due to the excellent results we have already achieved with this platform in the past. As a proven tool for high-volume production in the area of photonic applications it enables excellent epitaxial quality and yield on 6-inch wafers whilst also providing the flexibility we require as an epi foundry to serve our customers. Furthermore, the AIX 2800G4-TM platform offers outstanding uniformity and reproducibility. In addition, the backing of the AIXTRON local support team will help us to quickly ramp up the systems and serve our customers timely in the current dynamic market situation.”

Dr. Frank Schulte, Vice President Europe at AIXTRON, adds: “We have been collaborating with IQE for more than 20 years and we are looking forward to contribute to their business success by supporting the planned production ramp-up in the best way possible. The AIX 2800G4-TM reactor which can even accommodate 5x8-inch wafers has already built itself a strong reputation within the industry, mainly thanks to its unique material performance without compromising on the economies of scale of the AIXTRON Planetary batch concept.”

]]>news-2777Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:50:00 +0200Leading semiconductor manufacturer selected AIXTRON’s AIX 2800G4-TM systemhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/fuehrender-halbleiterhersteller-entscheidet-sich-fuer-aixtrons-aix-2800g4-tm-anlage/
AIXTRON Planetary technology supports production ramp-up to meet current market demand for 150 mm IR high-power lasers and LEDsAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, announced today that OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has purchased the company’s AIX 2800G4-TM Planetary system for the manufacturing of mainly infrared-based high power lasers and LEDs based on gallium arsenide (GaAs). Reaching that important milestone, AIXTRON supports the capacity expansion at one of the leading suppliers of high-quality optoelectronic semiconductors to be used in an increasing number of applications, especially in the automotive and communication sector. The tool features an 8x6-inch configuration and was commissioned in Q2/2017.

“We are very pleased that OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has selected our AIX 2800G4-TM platform for the production of high power laser and infrared LED devices. Their trust in our AIX 2800G4-TM system confirms our strategy to focus on solutions for the most demanding applications, where superior process performance is mandatory to meet our customer’s requirements. Following the recent qualification of our AIX G5 C platform and achieving this key milestone also with the AIX 2800G4-TM, we are looking forward to further deepen our partnership with one of the most innovative semiconductor manufacturers worldwide”, explains Dr. Frank Schulte, Vice President AIXTRON Europe.

The new process chamber is based on AIXTRON’S well proven CCS technology. It is the first commercially available MOCVD reactor that offers the extremely high process temperatures as needed for the production of DUV LEDs. The enhanced chamber performance facilitates cost-efficient high volume manufacturing of DUV LEDs as used for water and air purification. The configuration of 19 x 2-inch wafers represents the largest capacity currently available in the market for this high end MOCVD application.

Dr. Ryan Chuo, Vice President of Technology Center, San’an Optoelectronics, comments: „The new AIXTRON CCS reactor design is a key enabling factor for San’an producing next generation DUV LED products with higher quantum efficiencies and significantly higher output powers. Already being one of the largest suppliers for LEDs, AIXTRON’s newly designed process chamber perfectly supports our strategic targets in the area of DUV LEDs to further strengthen our industry leadership. Therefore, we are very pleased to be the first company to qualify and utilize AIXTRON’s new reactor kit.”

]]>news-2757Tue, 25 Jul 2017 17:35:00 +0200AIXTRON: Revenues and Order Intake continued to increase in Q2/2017https://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-umsatzerloese-und-auftragseingaenge-in-q22017-erneut-gestiegen/
2017 Revenues and Order Intake Guidance raised
AIXTRON on Track to return to Profitability in 2018AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA), a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced its financial results for the first half and the second quarter 2017.

Total order intake including spares and service in H1/2017 came to EUR 128.5m, 34% higher than in the previous year (H1/2016: EUR 95.5m). Sequentially, order intake improved by 8% to EUR 66.6m Q1/2017: EUR 61.9m). This development was mainly driven by improved demand for Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) systems for VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser), Red-Orange-Yellow (ROY) und specialty LEDs as well as power electronics and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) systems for the production of flash memory applications.

As of June 30, 2017, equipment order backlog totaled EUR 93.4m, a 7% increase on the figure of EUR 87.6m as of March 31, 2017 (June 30, 2016: EUR 86.2m). The majority of the backlog is due for shipment in 2017.

Free cash flow of EUR 40.3m in H1/2017 was up EUR 81.3m on the previous year (H1/2016: EUR -41.0m). It also includes positive figures in two consecutive quarters (Q2/2017: EUR 7.0m; Q1/2017: EUR 33.3m) which was mainly attributable to the collection of receivables as well as advanced payments received from customers.

Cash and cash equivalents (including cash deposits with a maturity of more than 90 days) increased to EUR 197.1m as of June 30, 2017, as against EUR 193.6m as of March 31, 2017.

As explained, revenues and orders received in H1/2017 were driven up by the improved demand for MOCVD systems to produce VCSEL, ROY and specialty LEDs as well as power electronics and CVD systems for the production of flash memory applications.

Following the freezing of product development activities for III-V materials for next-generation logic chips (TFOS) in Q1/2017 which resulted in a one-time write down of EUR 6.6m, EBIT in Q2/2017 was influenced by write downs of EUR 6.4m on the freeze of thin-film encapsulation (TFE) activities.

During H1/2017, AIXTRON continued to transform the company to align R&D expenses with revenues in order to return to profitability in 2018. In this context, the sale of the U.S.-based ALD/CVD production line to Eugene Technologies, Inc. was announced in Q2/2017. Furthermore, the establishment of a Joint Venture for the AIXTRON OLED deposition technology is ongoing and progressing. To support this, APEVA SE, a 100% subsidiary of AIXTRON SE, was founded.

Cost of sales for H1/2017 increased to EUR 85.8m year-on-year, equivalent to 75% of revenues (H1/2016: EUR 45.5m, or 82% of revenues). This was a reflection of the corresponding revenue levels in the first half 2017 as well as a write down of EUR 1.3m related to the TFE activities in Q2/2017 and a write down of EUR 1.0m related to the TFOS activities during Q1/2017.

The aforementioned reasons led to an adjusted EBITDA of EUR -4.0m in H1/2017, an improvement by 80% year-on-year (H1/2016: EUR ‑20.0m). On a quarterly comparison the adjusted EBITDA was EUR -1.3m in Q2/2017 (Q1/2017: EUR -2.7m).

The H1/2017 EBIT adjusted by restructuring costs of EUR 14.5m was EUR ‑9.6m. Compared to the previous year, EBIT was better by 63% mainly due to the above mentioned effects (H1/2016: EUR -25.9m). In Q2/2017, EBIT adjusted by restructuring costs of EUR 7.7m in total improved to EUR -3.6m (Q1/2017: EUR -5.9m, adjusted by EUR 6.8m).

Excluding restructuring costs, the net result improved year-on-year from EUR -26.6m in H1/2016 to EUR -10.4m in H1/2017.

Management Review

Kim Schindelhauer, CEO of AIXTRON SE, comments: “In H1/2017, the positive development in order intake has continued and will result in improved revenues. Therefore, we have decided to raise our 2017 full year guidance for order intake and revenues.

In addition, we have stepped forward in focusing on our core business in the first half of 2017

with the sale of our ALD/CVD business to Eugene Technologies,

by freezing our TFOS and TFE activities,

by founding our 100% subsidiary company APEVA SE in order to spin-off our OLED activities.

We are also pleased that Dr. Felix Grawert will join us as member of the Executive Board by August 14, 2017 which means that we have successfully completed the majority of tasks concerning the realignment of AIXTRON in H1/2017. Considering all these facts, AIXTRON is on track to return to profitability in 2018.”

Guidance

Based on the assessment on AIXTRON’s order intake, Management now expects for fiscal year 2017 to achieve revenues and an order intake between EUR 210 million and 230 million.

AIXTRON continues to transform the Company to align R&D expenses with revenues in order to return to profitability in 2018. As the execution of this strategy might have a substantial influence on profit, Management is not guiding on EBITDA, EBIT and net result for fiscal year 2017. Management will provide an update on the 2017 earnings outlook as the above-mentioned plans and measures materialize.

Management expects to achieve a positive free cash flow in 2017 and a positive EBIT for 2018.

AIXTRON will host a financial analyst and investor conference call on Tuesday, July 25, 2017, 3.00 a.m. CEST (6.00 p.m. PDT, 9.00 a.m. EDT) to review the first half 2017 results. You can dial into the call at +49 (69) 247501–899 or +1 (212) 444–0297 from 2.45 a.m. CEST (5.45 p.m. PDT, 8.45 a.m. EDT). An audio replay or transcript will be available after the conference call at http://www.aixtron.com/en/investors/events/conference-call/.

]]>news-2740Thu, 08 Jun 2017 10:22:00 +0200AIXTRON SE: Dr. Felix Grawert Appointed as a new Member of the Executive Boardhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-bestellt-dr-felix-grawert-als-neues-mitglied-des-vorstands-1/
Dr. Grawert to assume his position on October 1, 2017 or earlier
Dr. Schulte and Dr. Grawert to jointly lead the Company
Kim Schindelhauer to resume his position as the Chairman of the Supervisory BoardAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced the appointment of Dr. Felix Grawert (41) as a new member of the Executive Board. Dr. Grawert will assume the position on October 1, 2017 or earlier.

Both, Dr. Schulte and Dr. Grawert will jointly share the responsibilities of the Executive Board and will execute the corporate strategy.

Kim Schindelhauer will resume the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board and will closely support the Company's strategy projects.

Dr. Grawert joins AIXTRON from Infineon Technologies which he joined in 2013, heading the product segment of High Voltage Conversion. Before that, he worked for 8 years at McKinsey & Company, managing industrial projects mainly from the high-tech and semiconductor areas. Dr. Grawert got his university degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe as well as a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“With Dr. Grawert, we have found a personality who combines technical intellect with entrepreneurial instinct.”, comments Kim Schindelhauer, CEO of AIXTRON. “We are convinced that Dr. Grawert together with Dr. Schulte will actively shape AIXTRON’s strategy to successfully develop AIXTRON’s portfolio of future technologies and exploit their respective revenue potential.”

]]>news-2738Thu, 08 Jun 2017 10:11:00 +0200AIXTRON SE: Dr. Felix Grawert Appointed as a New Member of the Executive Boardhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-bestellt-dr-felix-grawert-als-neues-mitglied-des-vorstands/
Dr. Grawert to assume his position on October 1, 2017 or earlier
Dr. Schulte and Dr. Grawert to jointly lead the Company
Kim Schindelhauer to resume his position as Chairman of the Supervisory BoardAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced the appointment of Dr. Felix Grawert (41) as a new member of the Executive Board. Dr. Grawert will assume the position on October 1, 2017 or earlier.

Both, Dr. Schulte and Dr. Grawert will jointly share the responsibilities of the Executive Board and will execute the corporate strategy.

Kim Schindelhauer will resume the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board and will closely support the Company’s strategy projects.

Dr. Grawert joins AIXTRON from Infineon Technologies which he joined in 2013, heading the product segment of High Voltage Conversion. Before that, he worked for 8 years at McKinsey & Company, managing industrial projects mainly from the high-tech and semiconductor areas. Dr. Grawert got his university degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe as well as a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

]]>news-2734Thu, 25 May 2017 07:48:39 +0200AIXTRON SE to sell its ALD/CVD Memory Product linehttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-verkauft-seine-aldcvd-produktlinie-fuer-speicherchips/
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and expected to close in the second half of 2017AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced it is to sell the ALD and CVD memory product line, at AIXTRON, Inc. based in Sunnyvale, California to Eugene Technology Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Eugene Technology Co., Ltd, South Korea.

AIXTRON, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of AIXTRON SE will continue to provide sales and support for its continued businesses, as well as to pursue its thin film encapsulation (TFE) activities.

The agreed purchase price in a range between USD 45 million and USD 55 million will be paid in cash at closing. The purchase price includes inventory and other prepaid assets. Due to ongoing business, their value will be determined at time of closing.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, including the Committee of Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) and is expected to close within the second half of 2017.

Management expects that this transaction will not affect the full year 2017 guidance with order intake and revenues between EUR 180 and 210 million. This guidance includes the core business and the ALD/CVD business up to the date of sale.

]]>news-2732Thu, 25 May 2017 07:44:20 +0200AIXTRON SE to sell its ALD/CVD Memory Product linehttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-verkauft-seine-aldcvd-produktlinie-fuer-speicherchips-1/
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and expected to close in the second half of 2017AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced it is to sell the ALD and CVD memory product line of AIXTRON Inc., based in Sunnyvale, California to Eugene Technology Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Eugene Technology Co., Ltd, South Korea.

AIXTRON, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of AIXTRON SE will continue to provide sales and support for its continued business as well as to pursue its thin film encapsulation (TFE) activities.

The agreed purchase price in a range between USD 45 million and USD 55 million will be paid in cash at closing. The purchase price includes inventory and other prepaid assets. Due to ongoing business, their value will be determined at time of closing.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, including the Committee of Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) and is expected to close within the second half of 2017.

Kim Schindelhauer, CEO, AIXTRON SE stated: "As a further step of our strategy to focus on our core technologies we decided to sell our ALD/CVD memory product line to Eugene Technology. We believe that Eugene Technology can enhance the growth potential of these technologies supported by their strong footprint in the silicon semiconductor market and their local presence in Korea."

Pyung Yong Um, CEO, Eugene Technology Co., Ltd. and Eugene Technology Inc. accentuated the importance of acquisition: "A Quantum leap of Eugene Technology is expected with the effect of this acquisition by securing an additional R&D center, overseas sales & marketing base in Silicon Valley as well as accumulated technology by Eugene Technology in the area of Semiconductor Deposition Equipment."

Management expects that this transaction will not affect the full year 2017 guidance with an order intake and revenues between EUR 180 and 210 million. This guidance includes the core business and the ALD/CVD business up to the date of sale.

]]>news-2729Tue, 09 May 2017 17:01:02 +0200AIXTRON SE General Meeting 2017https://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-hauptversammlung-2017/
All Resolutions Approved / Supervisory Board Member Prof. Dr. Rüdiger von Rosen Re-ElectedShareholders of AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY) a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today voted in favor of the resolutions presented by the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board to this year's Annual General Meeting.

Key resolutions

The following resolutions were approved at AIXTRON’s 20th Annual General Meeting:

Approval of the activities of the members of the Executive Board and of the Supervisory Board during fiscal year 2016

Election of the auditors and the Group auditors for fiscal year 2017

Re-Election of the Member of the Supervisory Board, Prof. Dr. Rüdiger von Rosen

Revocation of Authorized Capital 2012 and creation of new Authorized Capital 2017 with the appropriate amendment of the Articles of Association

Nearly 36.4 percent of AIXTRON SE’s share capital was represented at the shareholder meeting held at the Hotel Pullman Aachen Quellenhof in Aachen, Germany.

Speech of the Executive Board and Presentation

Explanations to the presentation of AIXTRONs CEO Kim Schindelhauer and COO Dr. Bernd Schulte, in which the Full Year 2016 results, the Q1/2017 results, the technologies and the company strategy are explained, as well as the slides to the presentation to Topic 1 of the agenda can be downloaded from the website: www.aixtron.com/agm.

]]>news-2725Mon, 08 May 2017 18:47:00 +0200Leading semiconductor manufacturer qualifies AIXTRON system for high performance GaN LED productionhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/fuehrender-halbleiterhersteller-qualifiziert-aixtron-anlage-fuer-die-produktion-leistungsstarker-gan-leds/
Tools will support production ramp-up of premium LED devices as well as performance development of new innovative productsAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, announced today that OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has qualified the first of multiple AIX G5 C planetary systems for the manufacturing of GaN (gallium nitride) LEDs. As market demand for high-quality optoelectronic semiconductors is increasing due to the continually growing number of applications in the illumination, sensing and visualization sectors including automotive, communication, display, health and food, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors is expanding production capacities, e.g. at its Regensburg facility. In this context, the company makes also use of AIXTRON’s AIX G5 C planetary platform.

Berthold Hahn, Senior Director LED Chip at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, says: ”We have chosen the AIX G5 C as it is one of the best-in-class for high-performance applications. The system offers the lowest defect and particle level to date due to its effective in-situ cleaning system and cassette-to-cassette handler which is essential for high yields. Furthermore, AIXTRON’s advanced production tools allow best wavelength uniformity for reduced binning effort and therefore enables future technologies with very demanding uniformity requirements. Overall, the AIX G5 C provides leading edge blue and green LED processes that are necessary to meet our high quality standards in volume production for various lighting applications.”

“We are very pleased that OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has qualified our tool for production and we are looking forward to the further collaboration with one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. Our AIX G5 C platform perfectly backs OSRAM’s product strategy since it enables the manufacturing of devices that support future-oriented technology trends in the areas of mobility, communication and energy efficiency”, comments Dr. Frank Schulte, Vice President AIXTRON Europe.

Total revenues for Q1/2017 increased to EUR 53.6m (Q1/2016: EUR 21.4m; Q4/2016: EUR 89.8m). This figure, which represents the highest Q1 revenues since 2011, was supported by a solid order backlog and mainly driven by demand for production systems for Opto and Power Electronics, LEDs, as well as for Memory applications.

The free cash flow of EUR 33.3m in Q1/2017 improved by EUR 53.6m on the previous year (Q1/2016: EUR -20.3m; Q4/2016: EUR -4.9m). This was mainly due to the collection of receivables as well as advanced payments received from customers.

Order intake in Q1/2017 came to EUR 61.9m, 39% higher than in the previous year (Q1/2016: EUR 44.4m; Q4/2016: EUR 60.5m). This was due to consistently high demand of Equipment for LED, telecom and optoelectronic applications.

As of March 31, 2017, the equipment order backlog totaled EUR 87.6m, a 12% increase on the figure of EUR 78.1m at the beginning of the year (March 31, 2016: EUR 67.7m).

Cash and cash equivalents (including cash deposits with a maturity of more than 90 days) increased to EUR 193.6m as of March 31, 2017, as against EUR 160.1m as of December 31, 2016. The difference is mainly due to the collection of receivables.

Revenues in Q1/2017 developed in line with expectations. As in previous quarters, the key driver for the development in revenues and order intake was demand for production systems for specialty LED, telecom and optoelectronics, as well as for memory applications. This in turn was mainly attributable to emerging technology trends, such as big data, cloud computing, electro mobility, and the upcoming 5G mobile communication standard.

First measures in order to focus R&D spending for the development of future technologies, were freezing the product development for III-V-Materials for future generation logic chips (TFOS). This resulted in a one-time write down of TFOS assets totaling EUR 6.6m.

Cost of sales for Q1/2017 increased to EUR 40.0m year-on-year, equivalent to 75% of revenues (Q1/2016: EUR 18.3m, or 85% of revenues; Q4/2016: EUR 60.5m or 67% of revenues). This was a reflection of the corresponding revenue levels as well as low margin AIX R6 sales from inventory and a write down of EUR 1.0m related to the TFOS activities during Q1/2017.

Operating expenses in Q1/2017 increased to EUR 26.4m (Q1/2016: EUR 17.8m; Q4/2016: EUR 21.4m). This was mainly due to higher R&D expenses which included a EUR 5.6m write down of assets related to AIXTRONs TFOS activities.

The adjusted EBIT which excludes the previously mentioned TFOS write downs was EUR ‑6.1m in Q1/2017.

The net result for Q1/2017 amounted to EUR -13.5m and thus improved by 13% on the previous year (Q1/2016: EUR -15.5m; Q4/2016: EUR 6.4m). Q1/2017 adjusted net result before one-time TFOS write downs was EUR -6.9m.

Management Review

“AIXTRON has a wide portfolio of enabling technologies for highly diversified applications and industries. To better focus R&D costs for the development of future technologies, we will group our portfolio for future technologies and transfer it into clearly defined independent units to be financed with respective technology partners”, comments Kim Schindelhauer, CEO of AIXTRON SE.

“In a first step to focus our Research and Development expenses in the future, we wrote down assets totaling 6.6m Euros resulting from freezing our product development for III-V-Materials for future generation logic chips (TFOS). We will not spend further R&D until a firm timeline for the introduction of this material application has been set and a partner covers the required developments costs. Then, we are fully committed to support our customers to introduce TFOS materials to the market.”

Guidance

The revenue development in the first three months of 2017 was supported by the solid order backlog at the end of 2016. The comparatively high order intake in Q1/2017 supports Managements’ expectation on the development of revenues and order intake during 2017.

Consequently, Management reiterates the full year 2017 guidance given in February 2017 with an order intake and revenues between EUR 180 and 210 million.

Management continues to expect an improvement of the free cash flow in 2017 compared to 2016 and to achieve a positive EBIT for full year 2018.

AIXTRON will host a financial analyst and investor conference call on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 9.00 a.m. CEST (12.00 p.m. PDT on April 24th, 3.00 a.m. EDT) to review the first quarter 2017 results. You can dial into the call at +49 (69) 247501–899 or +1 (212) 444–0297 From 8.45 a.m. CEST (11.45 p.m. PDT on April 24th, 2.45 a.m. EDT). An audio replay or transcript will be available after the conference call at http://www.aixtron.com/en/investors/events/conference-call/.

]]>news-2713Tue, 11 Apr 2017 10:55:56 +0200AIXTRON and major Asian OLED display manufacturer collaborate on production qualification of deposition technologyhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-kooperiert-mit-grossem-asiatischem-oled-displayhersteller-bei-der-produktionsqualifizierung-von-depositionstechnologie/
AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, received a purchase order from a leading Asian OLED display manufacturer for a deposition system to be installed at the customer site within the second half of 2017. The collaboration targets the qualification of AIXTRON’s technology for the production of OLED displays.

Andreas Toennis, Group Head New Technologies at AIXTRON, comments: “With the number of applications for OLEDs steadily growing, this is an important milestone in the commercialization of our deposition system technology. We are looking forward to further improve our systems and processes in close collaboration with our customer.”

AIXTRON’s deposition system technology offers unique advantages by enabling highest deposition rates, minimizing the risk of degradation of organic material through its STExS (Short Thermal Exposure Source) technology, providing best organic material utilization efficiency as well as excellent thickness uniformity and reproducibility. In combination with AIXTRON’s patented Close Coupled Showerhead (CCS) technology, the thin-film deposition of organic small molecules can be scaled to any degree and any substrate dimension. Furthermore, AIXTRON’s gas phase transport allows for more precise control of the deposition rates and thus enhanced flexibility in manufacturing complex structures.

]]>news-2707Wed, 22 Mar 2017 10:17:59 +0100AIXTRON receives repeat order from Sumitomo for GaN-on-SiC production technologyhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-erhaelt-weiteren-auftrag-von-sumitomo-fuer-gan-on-sic-produktionstechnologie/
Japanese group reacts to continuous increase in market demand for RF data transfer applicationsAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, announced today that it has delivered a CRIUS MOCVD system with 4-inch wafer configuration to Japanese group Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc. (SEDI) in order to boost the production of GaN-on-SiC (gallium nitride on silicon carbide) devices for RF data transfer applications including for the upcoming 5G wireless mobile network. The system has been put into operation in the fourth quarter 2016.

SEDI has longstanding experience with AIXTRON’s Close Coupled Showerhead technology which enables easy scalability. Furthermore, AIXTRON’s system has an unmatched reputation for 4-inch wafer uniformity and precise process control, which is especially important for device production on cost-intensive silicon carbide wafers. The new reactor is equipped with optional features such as dynamic gap adjustment, ARGUS in-situ temperature control and the EpiCurve TT metrology system. The ARGUS monitoring device provides full wafer mapping in real time for optimum control of the growth process. Extended flexibility is enabled by allowing the adjustment of the process gap between the showerhead and the substrate.

Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc. has an established industry reputation for providing some of the best RF components available. The company already has a range of GaN HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) devices on offer for radar, mobile phone base-stations, and general applications. These GaN-on-SiC HEMT devices enable high power amplification at operating frequencies of up to 14 GHz RF.

]]>news-2694Tue, 28 Feb 2017 21:19:01 +0100New shares from AIXTRON stock option program to be traded under separate ISINhttps://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/junge-aktien-mit-separater-isinwkn-aus-aixtron-aktienoptionsprogramm/
AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY) a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, has a number of stock option programs in place that grant employees the right to purchase AIXTRON shares under certain conditions.

Under the terms of the stock option plan 2007, stock options can currently be exercised at strike prices between EUR 4.17 and EUR 26.60 per share. New shares resulting from exercised options of the above mentioned option plan are not entitled to a dividend for fiscal year 2016 and will be traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the separate ISIN DE000A2E4085 until and including the day of the Annual General Meeting 2017 on May 09, 2017.

Use of Results

The 2016 loss will be carried forward and consequently no dividend payment will be made for 2016.

]]>news-2691Thu, 23 Feb 2017 20:40:00 +0100AIXTRON: Financial targets achieved in 2016https://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-finanzziele-in-2016-erreicht/
Positive net income in Q4/2016 / Full year negative due to ongoing high research and development costs / Order Intake and Equipment Order Backlog increase significantlyAIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY), a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced its financial results for fiscal year 2016 and the fourth quarter 2016.

Following a strong second half, AIXTRON met its guidance published at the beginning of the year. At EUR 196.5 million, total revenues for 2016 virtually matched the previous year’s figure (2015: EUR 197.8m), while Q4/2016 revenues came to EUR 89.8m (Q3/2016: EUR 51.2m). This figure, which represents the highest quarterly revenues since 2011, was due to a high volume of planned system shipments. The largest contributions came from production systems for LED, telecom and optoelectronics, as well as for the silicon industry.

EBITDA in 2016 rose year-on-year by 52% (2016: EUR -7.9m; 2015: EUR -16.4m). This development was driven by the strong fourth quarter of 2016 (Q4/2016: EUR 12.5m; Q3/2016: EUR -0.4m) for which a positive EBIT and net result of EUR 7.9m and EUR 6.4m respectively were also posted. As expected, overall EBITDA in H2/2016 came in positive at EUR 12.1m.

The free cash flow of EUR -42.9m in 2016 improved by EUR 14.4m, or 25%, on the previous year (2015: EUR -57.3m). The negative free cash flow of EUR -4.9m in the fourth quarter of 2016 (Q3/2016: EUR 3.0m) was mainly due to high shipment volumes at the end of the year. A large part of the resultant increase in outstanding receivables has converted into cash in Q1/2017.

Total order intake in 2016 came to EUR 225.1m, 35% higher than in the previous year (2015: EUR 167.1m) and the highest figure in five years. In Q4/2016, total order intake of EUR 60.5m was slightly down on the previous quarter but significantly higher than in the previous year (Q3/2016: EUR 69.0m, Q4/2015: EUR 31.3m). This was due to consistently high demand for LED, telecom and optoelectronic applications, including the sale of AIX R6 inventories.

As of December 31, 2016, the equipment order backlog totaled EUR 78.1m, a 67% increase on the figure of EUR 46.7m at the beginning of the year (December 31, 2015: EUR 42.9m; September 30, 2016: EUR 104.0m).

Revenues developed in line with expectations in the year as a whole and in Q4/2016. The key driver for the development in revenues and the order intake in the fourth quarter 2016 was demand for production systems for LED, telecom and optoelectronics, as well as for the silicon industry. This in turn was mainly attributable to technology trends, such as big data, cloud computing, electromobility, and the upcoming 5G mobile communication standard.

Cost of sales for 2016 fell year-on-year to EUR 140.2m, equivalent to 71% of revenues (2015: EUR 147.9m, or 75% of revenues). This was mainly due to enhanced production and service efficiency, a development which also led to lower write-downs on inventories. Compared to the previous quarter, cost of sales in Q4/2016 remained stable in relation to revenues (Q4/2016: EUR 60.5m or 67% of revenues; Q3/2016: EUR 34.2m or 67% of revenues).

At EUR 77.7m, operating expenses in 2016 were almost unchanged on the previous year (2015: EUR 76.5m). This was mainly due to consistent cost control, which also enabled operating expenses to be kept within the annual limit of around EUR 80m. Operating expenses corresponded to almost 40% of revenues in 2016 (2015: 39%). Compared to the previous quarter, operating expenses rose to EUR 21.4m (Q3/2016: EUR 20.4m).

The operating result (EBIT) improved year-on-year by EUR 5.3m to EUR -21.4m (2015: EUR -26.7m). The operating result for Q4/2016 increased to EUR 7.9m, significantly higher than in the previous quarter (Q3/2016: EUR -3.4m).

The net result for 2016 amounted to EUR -24.0m and thus improved by 18% on the previous year (2015: EUR -29.2m). In Q4/2016, the Company generated a net profit of EUR 6.4m (Q3/2016: EUR -3.8m).

Cash and cash equivalents (including cash deposits with a maturity of more than 90 days) came to EUR 160.1m as of December 31, 2016, as against EUR 209.4m as of December 31, 2015. The difference is chiefly due to the negative net result, payment of the second installment of the agreed refund of EUR 17.2 million in advance payments to a Chinese customer, and an agreed milestone payment of EUR 4.1m for the purchase of PlasmaSi (acquired in 2015) in Q1/2016. Due to high shipment volumes at the end of 2016, receivables rose at the end of 2016. A large part of these receivables were paid in early 2017.

Management Review

“The dominant topic in fiscal year 2016 was certainly the planned takeover by Grand Chip Investment, which was intended to secure the company’s access to the major Chinese market while also ensuring that all of AIXTRON’s product portfolio could be brought to market maturity. Following the US President’s order prohibiting the bidder’s acquisition of AIXTRON’s US business and the investor’s subsequent withdrawal, AIXTRON acted to realign its corporate strategy targeting a sustainable return to profitability and to report a positive EBIT for full year 2018. Now it is a matter of implementing this strategy”, comments Martin Goetzeler, CEO of AIXTRON SE.

“Operationally, we made major progress in numerous areas in fiscal year 2016 and met the financial targets communicated at the beginning of the year. The strong performance in the second half, and especially in the fourth quarter of 2016, enabled us to further improve the company’s full-year results, even if we did not yet return to profitability due to ongoing high research and development costs.

It was important that we continued to press ahead with diversifying our technology and product portfolio last year. That is also one of the reasons why, based on our own calculations, we were once again the global market leader for MOCVD systems in 2016. The strong reported equipment order backlog gives us reason to be confident in our outlook for 2017, in particular with regard to opto- and power electronics as well as to the silicon business. We took a decisive step forward by supplying a Beta system with Gen1 (200 x 200 mm) configurations to a major display manufacturer to demonstrate our production processes on site. This way, we have moved significantly closer to obtaining the first order initially targeted for 2016.

With the strategy it has taken, the innovative products it can offer to numerous key markets of the future, the processes and structures it has put in place in recent years, and its clear results focus, AIXTRON is on the road towards sustainable profitability.”

Guidance

Following the termination of the planned takeover transaction by a Chinese investor in December 2016, AIXTRON is now focusing on the optimal structure of its technology portfolio as part of its corporate strategy. Against this background, AIXTRON is currently pursuing different options in order to successfully reduce required upfront expenses for the development of future technologies. These options include looking for partners, joint ventures or other alternatives. All these measures are targeted to enable a sustainable return to profitability and to report a positive EBIT for full year 2018.

Based on the existing business structure and the assessment on AIXTRON’s current order situation with the internal budget rate of USD/EUR 1.10, Management expects for fiscal year 2017 to achieve revenues and an order intake between EUR 180 million and 210 million.

Due to planned additional upfront expenses for development of future technologies and based on the existing structure, AIXTRON expects to achieve lower EBITDA, EBIT and net result for fiscal year 2017. As previously discussed, AIXTRON is pursuing the options mentioned above in order to return to sustainable profitability. Depending on the execution of above mentioned strategy with its various options and due to the uncertainty of its impact on earnings, Management is currently not in the position to offer guidance on EBITDA, EBIT and net result for fiscal year 2017. Management will provide an update on the 2017 earnings outlook as the above mentioned plans materialize.

Influenced by the significant reimbursement of an advance payment in Q1/2016 which will not repeat, Management expects a further improvement of the free cash flow in 2017.

In addition to above mentioned activities, Management will continue to focus on costs, margin contributions and the allocation of funds and will continuously review the performance and prospects of the Companies’ product portfolio.

As in previous years, Management expects that the Company does not require any external bank debt financing in 2017. Furthermore, the Company will retain its strong equity base also in the foreseeable future.

AIXTRON will host a financial analyst and investor conference call on Thursday, February 23, 2017, 3.00 p.m. CET (6.00 a.m. PST, 9.00 a.m. EST) to review its 2016 results. You can dial into the call at +49 (69) 247501–899 or +1 (212) 444–0297 From 2.45 p.m. CET (5.45 a.m. PST, 8.45 a.m. EST). An audio replay or transcript will be available after the conference call at http://www.aixtron.com/en/investors/events/conference-call/.

]]>news-2679Fri, 20 Jan 2017 10:39:25 +0100AIXTRON SE: Chief Executive Officer Martin Goetzeler is leaving AIXTRON for personal reasons in agreement with the company's Supervisory Board effective February 28, 2017https://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-der-vorstandsvorsitzende-martin-goetzeler-scheidet-aus-persoenlichen-gruenden-im-einvernehmen-mit-dem-aufsichtsrat-aus-der-gesellschaft-aus/
AIXTRON Supervisory Board Chairman Kim Schindelhauer will become CEO effective March 1, 2017AIXTRON SE (“Company”) (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY) announced today that the current CEO of the company, Martin Goetzeler, is leaving the company at the end of his contract on February 28, 2017.

Former AIXTRON Executive Board Member and current Supervisory Board Chairman, Kim Schindelhauer, will take on Mr. Goetzeler's duties as CEO and CFO on an interim basis starting March 1, 2017, until a successor is found. The strategy adopted will continue unchanged.

Mr. Goetzeler, whose responsibilities included strategy, finances, and also personnel as industrial relations director, is leaving the company for personal reasons and in agreement with the company's Supervisory Board.

“During Mr. Goetzeler's tenure, AIXTRON's technology portfolio was diversified considerably and the company oriented its strategy toward the future markets it identified. In addition, both the focus on profitability as well as the awareness of costs were successfully internalized in the company and the financial results steadily improved,” explained Supervisory Board Chairman Kim Schindelhauer. “He strengthened the relationships with the Chinese market and consequently initiated the planned China deal.” continued Schindelhauer. “He was greatly dedicated to this effort. We thank Mr. Goetzeler for his exemplary service to AIXTRON since his appointment in March 2013 and wish him every success in his continued career.”

Professor Dr. Wolfgang Blättchen, current deputy chairman of the Supervisory Board will take over as chair of the Supervisory Board during Mr. Schindelhauer's work as CEO of the company.

]]>news-2677Fri, 20 Jan 2017 10:31:57 +0100AIXTRON SE: Chief Executive Officer Martin Goetzeler is leaving AIXTRON for personal reasons in agreement with the company's Supervisory Board effective February 28, 2017https://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/aixtron-se-der-vorstandsvorsitzende-martin-goetzeler-scheidet-aus-persoenlichen-gruenden-im-einvernehmen-mit-dem-aufsichtsrat-aus-der-gesellschaft-aus-1/
AIXTRON Supervisory Board Chairman Kim Schindelhauer will become interim CEO effective March 1, 2017 AIXTRON SE (“Company”) (FSE: AIXA; OTC: AIXNY) announced today that the current CEO of the company, Martin Goetzeler, is leaving the company at the end of his contract on February 28, 2017.

Former AIXTRON Executive Board Member and current Supervisory Board Chairman, Kim Schindelhauer, will take on Mr. Goetzeler's duties as CEO and CFO on an interim basis starting March 1, 2017, until a successor is found. The strategy adopted will continue unchanged.

Mr. Goetzeler, whose responsibilities included strategy, finances, and also personnel as industrial relations director, is leaving the company for personal reasons and in agreement with the company's Supervisory Board.

“During Mr. Goetzeler's tenure, AIXTRON's technology portfolio was diversified considerably and the company oriented its strategy toward the future markets it identified. In addition, both the focus on profitability as well as the awareness of costs were successfully internalized in the company and the financial results steadily improved,” explained Supervisory Board Chairman Kim Schindelhauer. “He strengthened the relationships with the Chinese market and consequently initiated the planned China deal.” continued Schindelhauer. “He was greatly dedicated to this effort. We thank Mr. Goetzeler for his exemplary service to AIXTRON since his appointment in March 2013 and wish him every success in his continued career.”

Professor Dr. Wolfgang Blättchen, current deputy chairman of the Supervisory Board, will take over as chair of the Supervisory Board during Mr. Schindelhauer's work as CEO of the Company.

]]>news-2671Fri, 13 Jan 2017 17:26:39 +0100“AIXTRON’s technology is a flagship for North Rhine-Westphalia as a place to do business” https://www.aixtron.com/en/press/press-releases/detail/die-technologie-von-aixtron-ist-ein-aushaengeschild-fuer-den-wirtschaftsstandort-nordrhein-westfalen/
NRW’s Economics Minister Garrelt Duin visits AIXTRON’s headquarters and finds out more about trailblazing semiconductor technologiesGarrelt Duin, North Rhine Westphalia’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Industry, SMEs and Trade, Ulla Schmidt, Vice-President of the German Bundestag, Christoph von den Driesch, Mayor of Herzogenrath, and Eva-Maria Voigt-Küppers and Karl Schultheis, both members of the NRW State Parliament, visited the headquarters of AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of deposition systems for the semiconductor industry, in Herzogenrath near Aachen on Friday.

In talks with the Executive Board and the Works Council, the Minister informed himself about the company’s current situation and its trailblazing semiconductor production technologies, such as MOCVD (Metal Organic Vapor Phase Deposition). These enable high-performance components to be manufactured for future and existing next-generation applications in entertainment electronics, e-mobility, data communications, and telecommunications. During their tour of the company, the politicians inspected the award-winning MOCVD system AIX G5+ C and the demonstration system for manufacturing organic LEDs. These play a key role in the production of OLED televisions, displays and new lighting solutions.

Minister Duin was impressed by AIXTRON’s technology and its approach to research and development. “North Rhine-Westphalia can be proud to be home to this key technology player. It is crucial for NRW and the Aachen region that companies with this degree of innovation should have the best possible conditions in which to develop. We will therefore uphold our efforts to sustainably boost NRW as a place to do business and safeguard our growth, jobs, and prosperity for the future as well.”

Martin Goetzeler, CEO of AIXTRON SE, welcomed the Minister’s visit: “Our technology portfolio is facilitating the development of numerous future applications in electro-mobility, energy management, and data communications. We aim to develop these technologies further in future as well. To support the company’s sustainable success, close liaison with political decision makers on all levels is indispensable, as is their backing for us.”

“We were delighted to meet Minister Duin and his colleagues on federal, state, and municipal levels today, to provide them with some insights into our forward-looking technologies, and enable them to form their own impression of our systems”, commented Dr. Bernd Schulte, Executive Board member and Chief Operating Officer at AIXTRON SE.